Mike Rutenberg is facing a bit of a late start as he becomes the Cleveland Browns’ new defensive coordinator. A series of events out of his control pushed his hiring into the very late stages of this NFL cycle.
So, he may have to scramble to fill out his staff under head coach Todd Monken with the assistants he wants. He also has to adjust to being a lead coordinator for the first time in his career.
However, there is another task that’s arguably more important than any of those items on his to-do list. In the aftermath of Jim Schwartz’s resignation, Rutenberg may encounter some hard feelings from the players the former DC left behind.
Insider Dan Labbe recently revealed the most critical challenge for the Browns’ new defensive coordinator, and that is winning over veterans such as Myles Garret and Denzel Ward and getting them to believe in what he’s doing.
“For a guy like Myles, for guys like Denzel, for the real stars on this defense, especially the veteran guys, he does have to earn that buy-in,” Labbe said. “He does have to earn that belief from those guys.”
Depending on whose side you might favor, after losing out to Monken for the head coaching job, Schwartz either abandoned the Browns in their time of need, or the organization did him wrong by not promoting him. Either way, the difficult situation made it almost impossible for him to stay on board, so, with one year left on his contract, Schwartz stepped away instead.
He leaves behind one of the best defenses in the NFL. In his three seasons, the Browns ranked first in total defense in 2023 and were fourth last season. Garrett, in particular, thrived under his system, as he won Defensive Player of the Year twice and set the single-season record for sacks.
The defensive end has used social media to address how things worked out. Ward, a Pro Bowl cornerback in each of the past three years, was more vocal in his desire that Schwartz stay with the team.
In addition, Rutenberg was hired over current Browns linebackers coach Jason Tarver, so the new coordinator may also have to mend fences with any returning staff members as well.
NEXT: Analyst Questions Browns' Potential Offseason QB Moves
